Uttarakhand State urban development department secretary has sent a show- cause notice to Pauri municipal council chairman, asking for a written statement in 15 days in connection with the inquiry report of the alleged misuse of the municipal funds by him and others.
The secretary warned that necessary action would be taken under the rules in case the municipal council chairman fails to comply.
The notice was based on the probe report sent by the Garhwal commissioner to the state government on April 25 2016.
The Pauri municipal council chairman Yashpal Benam and then two executive officers of the municipality were found prima facie involved in the alleged financial irregularities.
It might be recalled that following seven- point complaint raised by six members of the municipal council and some residents of Pauri town regarding the matter, Garhwal commissioner C S Napalchayal had directed the district magistrate to inquire into the allegation.
Subsequently, DM Chandra Shekhar Bhatt had submitted the report in February 2015. The commissioner then submitted the report in October the same year to the state government. Acting on it, the State Government officials had asked the inquiry officer to name the persons involved in the financial irregularities.
The inquiry officer in turn named those responsible and submitted the report to Garhwal commissioner on April 25 2016.
The inquiry report stated that Benam and then two executive officers of the civic body Darban Singh Rana and Ramesh Prasad Semwal -were prima facie involved in the irregularities.
The inquiry report further stated that a lottery had been held during the summer festival 2013-14 at the behest of Benam.
There were no records pertaining to the lottery left at the municipal council office, it stated. The report further stated that Rs 15 lakh from the municipal funds had been spent on the summer festival, sans permission from the authorised officer.
Besides, a lucky draw coupon lottery was conducted in the same way. Inquiry into another allegation regarding the demolition of municipal rest house and sale of its scrap ascertained that the municipal board had not passed any proposal for the same.
According to the report, approval of the authorised officer/ government was not taken regarding the increase in remuneration of the municipality's computer operator and advocate.